Emergency indicator for automobiles



L.. W. EGGLESTON `EMERGENCY INDICATOR F011 AUTOMOBILES I Dec. 8, 1925- 1.564.409

Filed Oct. 13, 1921 lravengU-r Ew/.5 nl E GLEsTo/g /17 WMA Patented Dec. 8, 1925.

vlArlslW f OFFICE.;

LEWIS W. EGGLESTON, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK. l

EMERGENCY INDICATOR FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed October ,13, 1921. Serial No. 507,524.

ToaZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, Lewis W. EccLns'roN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buifalo,`in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Emergency Indicators for Automobiles, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact'description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to means for indicating abnormalconditions in the cooling systems of internal combustion engines having a liquid cooling means for the engine cylinders and particularly to that type of engine with which a radiator is usedfor cooling the liquid, it being particularly designed for use with automobile radiators.

As is well known, when the water in an automobile radiator commences to boil, ab-

normal operating conditions exist in the engine and a continued operation of the engine without remedying this condition is apt to cause serious injury to the engine.

Ordinarily when the water in the radiator commences to boil, the steam escapes through the overflow pipe of the radiator which terminates under the car and is `not seen by the driver from his seat.

, The overflow pipe is apt to freeze in cold weather, causing an increased pressure in the radiator due to the heated contents thereof. Thus damage is apt to occur to the radiator should this pressure become excessive and is not released.

It is impractical to provide an unsealed opening in the radiator at the top of the radiator above the air space in the radiator because of the fact that as soon as the cooling liquid becomes heated a vapor is formed in this air space which, while it will not pass off through the overflow pipe as it is lighter than air and will not flow downwardly, will pass out through an opening in the top of the radiator resulting eventually in the depletion of the liquid in the radiator to the danger point.

Furthermore, when an antifreeze liquid is employed in cold weather,'the same will rapidly evaporate and escape, depleting the supply thereof to the dangerpoint, unless the radiator is ordinarily sealed.

My invention is designed to provide a means, which may be observed from the drivers seat, for permitting the escape of steam from the radiator as soon as the liquid therein commences to boil, thereby serving as an indicator that the'motor has become dangerously hot, and at the same time relieving the pressure in the radiator in event the overflow pipe is stopped up for any reason, or assisting said pipe in relieving the pressure in event it is open, without permitting the escape ofthe vapor arising from the liquid during normal operation of the motor.

For the purpose of disclosing `my invention, I have illustratedv one embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a partial front view of an automobile radiator, the filler stem and seal being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is an elevati seal;

Fig. 3 is la longitudinal section thereof;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3; and y Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3. p

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, I provide a cup l secured to the lower end of a stem 2 preferably by having the stem passing through the bottom of the cup and riveted in position. 3 of smaller diameter than the cup 1 is inverted and telescopes the cup 1, the lower edge being spaced from the bottom of the cup l. The stem 2 passes through the top of the cup 3, the cup 3 being supported therefrom in the groove 4. At its upper end the stem 2 is screw-threaded to receive a hollow cap nut 5 having a plurality of openings 6 therein. A vent port 7 is formed inthe stem 2 which communicates with the interior of the cup 3 at a point about in the same plane vas the top edge of the cup l, and at its top with'the interior of the nut5.

In assembly, the threaded end of the stem Q'is passedthrough the filler cap 8 of a liquid cooling radiator 9 of an internal combustion engine until the shoulder 10 engages the under side of the top wall of the cap. The

on of the indicator nut 5 is then screwed in position clamping the top wall of the filler cap 8 between it and the shoulder l0 and securing the device in position on said cap. When said cap 8 is placed in position on the filler spout l12 of the radiator 9, the cups project intok the spout and into theair space above the liquid level. lThe vapor givenof. by the liquid of A second cup the radiator condensing on the cooler surfaces of the cups and particularly the cup 3, accumulates in the cup l and as soon as the level of the liquid in said cup rises above the bottom of cup 3, a liquid seal is formed. At the same time, this liquid seal is so light that as soon as a slight pressure is created in the radiator by the boiling of the Water, the liquid is forced up through the passage 7 in the stem 2 and out through the openings 5 in the cap 6, permitting the steam or vapor to follow, thereby indicating that the motor has become heated to the danger point, and simultaneously relieving the pressure in the radiator.

Vhile I have shown in the accompanying drawings and described one embodiment of my invention, it Will be understood that my invention may be embodied in other structures and that shown and described may be modified Without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the accompanying claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as nevv and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The combination With the radiator lforming part of a liquid cooling system for internal combustion engines; said radiator having a vent, of means directly responsive to pressure Within said radiator serving normally to seal said vent and, in response Vto abnormal pressure `-in said radiator, to unseal said vent, substantially as specified.

2. The combination With the radiator forming part of a liquid cooling system for internal combustion engines; said radiator having a filler-opening therein, and a closure for said filler-opening having a vent therein, of pressure-responsive means serving normally to seal said vent and, in response to abnormal pressure in said radiator, to unseal said vent, substantially as specified.

3. The combination With the radiator forming part of a liquid cooling system for internal combustion engines; said radiator having an opening therein and a closure for said opening, and said closure having an opening therein, and pressure responsive means carried by said closure,.serving normally to seal the opening in said closure and, in response to abnormal pressure in said radiator, to unseal the opening in said closure, substantially as specified.

4. The combination With the radiator of a liquid cooling system for internal combustion engines; said radiator having an air space above the circulating liquid therein, and a vent to the atmosphere, of a liquid seal for said vent serving in response to abnormal pressure in the radiator, to unseal said vent.

` 5. The combination With the radiator of a liquid cooling system for internal combustion engines; said radiator having an air space above the level of the circulating liquid and a vent to the atmosphere therein, of a seal for said vent formed by the condensed vapor of said circulating liquid, normally closing said vent, and, in response to abnormal pressure in the radiator, to open said vent.

6. The combination With the radiator of a liquid cooling system for internal combustion engines; said radiator having an air space above the level of the circulating liquid and a vent to the atmosphere, of means for sealing said vent against the passage of vapor produced byv said liquid during normal operation of the engine While permitting the escape thereof through said vent when the pressure in said radiator becomes abnormal.

7. The combination with the radiator of a liquid cooling system for internal combustion engines having an air space above the circulating liquid thereof, of a venting tube opening into said space passing through the top of said radiator normally sealed against the passage of vapor given o' during the normal operation of the engine but opened to the atmosphere by an increase in pressure in the radiator.

8. The combination with the radiator of a liquid cooling system for internal combustion engines having an air space above the circulating liquid thereof, of a venting tube opening into said space and passing through the top of the radiator and a liquid seal for said tube. l Y

9. The combination With the radiator of a liquid cooling system for internal combustion engines having an air space above the circulating liquid thereof, of a venting member for said radiator comprising a stem passing through the top of the radiator and having an opening communicatingavith the atmosphere above the radiator and With the interior of the radiator in the air space thereof, and means for normally liquid-sealing said opening.

l0. The combination With the radiator cap of an automobile radiator of a vent stem extending therethrough and a Water seal for said stem normally maintaining said vent closed.

11. A signal vent for automobile radiators comprising a vent stem arranged to extend through the top of the radiator and having an opening extendingvfrom the interior of the radiator to the exterior, and a liquid cup secured to said stem 'and arranged to contain liquid to normally seal said opening.

l2. A signal vent for automobile radiators comprising a vent stem arranged to extend through the top of the radiator and having an opening extending from the interior to the exteriorl of the radiator, a cupi surrounding said stem and arranged to contain water to normally seal said opening and means for condensing vapor given ofl' by the liquid of the radiator into said cup.

13. A signal vent for automobile radiators comprising a vent stem arranged to extend through the top of the radiator and having a vent opening extending from the interior to the exterior of the radiator, a cup surrounding said stem, and a second inverted cup surrounding said stem telescoping said first cup and spaced from the sides and bottom thereof, and forming therewith a liquid trap.

14. A device of the character described comprising a stem, a cup member secured centrally to said stem at a lower portion thereof and extending upwardly therefrom and in spaced relation thereto, and a second cup member similarly secured to said stem at an upper portion thereof and extending downwardly into said first named member and in spaced relation thereto, said stem having a passage therein at the upper portion thereof forming an outlet extending from the interior of said second named member, substantially as specified.

15. A device of the character described comprising a stem, a cup member secured centrally to said stem at a lower portion thereof and extending upwardly therefrom and in spaced relation thereto, a second cup member similarly secured to an intermediate portion of said stem and extending downwardly into said first named member in spaced relation thereto, said stem having a reduced portion extending above said second named member, and a cap secured thereon, said stem and said cap having a passagetherethrough forming an outlet extending froln the interior of said second named member, substantially as specified.

16. A device of the character described comprising a stem including a body portion and a reduced exteriorly threaded upper end portion providing a shoulder on said stem, a cup member secured centrally to the lower part of said body portion and extending upwardly therefrom and in spaced relation thereto, a second cup member similarly secured to the upper part of said body portion and extending downwardly into said first named member and in spaced relation thereto, said stem including the reduced portion thereof having a passage therein forming an outlet extending from the upper portion of the interior of said second named member, and a hollow screw cap on the endtof said reduced portion to cover the outer end of said passage and to provide with the shoulder on said stem means for securing said device to a support, said cap having an opening therein to permit the escape of fluid therethrough from said passage, substantially as specified.

17. device of the character described comprising a stem having a passage extending therethrough, and a member carried by and surrounding said stem and cooperating therewith to form a liquid seal for said passage; substantiall as specified.

18. A device of the character described comprising a stem having a passage extending therethrough, means carried by said stem at a lower portion thereof and cooperating therewith to form a liquid seal for said passage, and means associated with the upper portion of said stem for securing the same to a support, substantially as specified.

19. A device of the character described comprising a stem including a body portion and a reduced exteriorly threaded upper end portion providing a shoulder on said stem; said stem and said reduced portion having a passage therein, means carried by said body portion and cooperating therewith to form a liquid seal for the lower end of said passage, and a screw cap on the end of said reduced portion serving with said shoulder to secure said device to a support; said cap having an opening therein to permit the escape of fluid, substantially as specified.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

LEWIS W. EGGLESTON. 

